catheterization, urinary

catheterization, urinary - Insertion of a sterile catheter into the bladder to drain urine. The procedure is used when a person is unable to empty the bladder normally or is incontinent (see incontinence, urinary).

Urinary catheterization is also used during operations, in bladder function tests such as cystometry and cystourethrography, and to monitor urine production in the critically ill.